


I Never Can Relax

by felixfelicis09



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drug use but not drug addiction, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fred Weasley Lives, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Injury Recovery, Magic, Post-War, Recovery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:53:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28779339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felixfelicis09/pseuds/felixfelicis09
Summary: Following the Battle of Hogwarts, nearly everyone suffered some sort of trauma, but their scars faded, their nightmares became less frequent, and they moved on with their lives. Hermione returned to Hogwarts to complete her seventh year, the routine of the school year allowing her to distract her mind from processing the events of the previous year. She knew life at Hogwarts like the back of her hand and without the looming threat of Voldemort and his Death Eaters, she was truly able to enjoy her final year. Hermione secured the perfect Ministry job in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and moved into her own flat in Muggle London, close to Charing Cross Road the following year, but while everything in the witch’s life seemed to be perfect, something broke in Hermione during the war and she had neglected it for far too long.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18





	1. Exhaustion

Following the Battle of Hogwarts, nearly everyone suffered some sort of trauma, but their scars faded, their nightmares became less frequent, and they moved on with their lives. Hermione returned to Hogwarts to complete her seventh year, the routine of the school year allowing her to distract her mind from processing the events of the previous year. She knew life at Hogwarts like the back of her hand and without the looming threat of Voldemort and his Death Eaters, she was truly able to enjoy her final year. Hermione secured the perfect Ministry job in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and moved into her own flat in Muggle London, close to Charing Cross Road the following year, but while everything in the witch’s life seemed to be perfect, something broke in Hermione during the war and she had neglected it for far too long. 

The nightmares started on her first night in the new flat. Bellatrix painstakingly carving the foul word on her forearm, Ron’s screams, the massive chandelier crashing down on her. All the memories she had suppressed for so long while at Hogwarts came flooding back and there was nothing she could do to control them. 

Sleepless nights were nothing new to Hermione. She was not one to shy away from pulling all-nighters in the common room for big exams and staying up to keep watch while they were on the run, but her lack of sleep combined with the demands of her new job were taking their toll on the poor witch, though she tried her best to hide it. Concealer and coffee soon became Hermione’s best friends, she even stopped by a Muggle pharmacy and picked up Melatonin tablets to help her sleep when she desperately needed to (roughly 2-3 nights per week). Other nights she’d stay up, throwing herself into her work or reading at the bay window in her living room until the sun rays began to peak out over the tops of the buildings that lined her street. This wasn’t any way to live life, but Hermione was determined to make a good impression at work and to avoid burdening her friends and family with any more stress so she kept to herself and plastered a smile on her face everyday to conceal the crumbling witch within. 

Since she didn’t work on Fridays, Hermione did her best to stop by Diagon Alley and visit with her friends before heading home and trying to relax. On this particular day, a sign outside of Fred and George’s joke shop written in big, lopsided letters caught her eye, “BRAND NEW: Patented Dream Charms: Daydream charms, but for night!”. Hermione followed the arrow of the sign into the store, intrigued by the twins’ latest creation. 

The months following the Battle of Hogwarts were challenging for everyone. They had suffered so many losses and those who didn’t pass had long roads ahead to completely recover from their injuries and trauma. Fred Weasley was dealt the worst card. He had been dead for nearly 15 minutes. Between the time it took for Percy and George to dig him out of the rubble and apparate him to the triage area in the Great Hall, 3 minutes had passed and they couldn’t find a heartbeat. Madame Pomfrey, bless her, was a saving grace. The twins were frequent patrons of the hospital wing during their time at Hogwarts and had developed a strong friendship with the elderly witch, so there was no way she would let one of her favorite students die at the hands of a Death Eater. She had nearly exhausted all her options before deciding to take drastic measures. A lifeless Fred was submerged in a tub of murtlap essence, dittany, salamander blood, and any other healing ingredient she had on hand before she and Molly began their incantations. Rooted in the same magic that had saved Harry’s life as an infant, Pomfrey hoped that Molly’s love for her son in combination with spells from ancient runes that she had studied briefly while training to become a healer would work. Fred survived, but his recovery was the hardest. Nearly every bone in his body suffered some sort of break or fracture and the lack of oxygen, though not prolonged enough to cause brain damage, took a toll to his other organs, weakening his heart and his gastrointestinal system. Nearly two years later, Fred was able to walk with a cane, but preferred to sit behind the counter as the shop’s teller. It took him 6 months to be put on a liquid diet and 4 more months to be allowed to eat solid foods. Although his body was slowly returning to what it once was, not a day passed where he didn’t feel pain. His broken bones had healed, but slow healing hairline fractures remained, making physical therapy excruciating. Ever the charmer, Fred hid his pain behind a cheeky grin and thanked God everyday to be alive. 

Hermione and Fred had gotten closer after the war. While at Hogwarts, she made it a point to visit St. Mungo’s in the afternoons to visit old friends and help out where she could. Slowly more and more of her loved ones were discharged, but Fred remained, trapped in a small, bleak room where he spent over a year recovering. Eventually, her daily visits were solely for Fred. While the other Weasleys visited him frequently, they had jobs to return to and George had the shop to run, so Hermione took their place. As a student, she had far less commitments than the rest of them and she found herself enjoying Fred’s company more and more after each visit. Some days she would read to him, introducing him to muggle mystery novels and humoring him by reading muggle fantasies that were so incredibly off the mark. In between novels or on especially painful days (typically after long PT sessions), Hermione distracted him with updates from the outside world and her own personal library of potions books. The two of them developed quite a few products for Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes while he was in the hospital and she did her best to work with George to develop as many of them as she could, returning every week with a new prototype that they’d test and tweak before finally perfecting the products. When Fred was eventually discharged from the hospital a few months after Hermione’s graduation, they were both so excited to work and begin the rest of their lives that they lost touch. Of course, they’d still talk if they ran into each other on Diagon Alley or at the Weasleys’ weekly dinners, but it wasn’t the same. 

After Fred’s first week out of the hospital, she felt a tug at her chest, but she suppressed it. It was selfish of her to miss their daily visits. Fred was finally, finally, out of St. Mungo’s. He could walk, he was eating normally, and the twinkle returned to his eyes. She couldn’t be upset that he was recovering and doing so well. She was happy for him, she was, but she also missed him. 

The bell jingled as she stepped through the purple door frame into the shop. The store was abuzz with commotion. The spring term at Hogwarts would start the following week, so students were getting all the necessities they could before heading back to school. Hermione’s head spun, overwhelmed by the sound of laughter and constant motion in front of her, she nearly forgot what she had come in for.

“What can I do for you, miss?” a young witch with short blonde hair asked Hermione, pulling her back from the haze she was in.

“Oh, nothing, I’m just in for a browse,” Hermione responded. She’d never seen this girl before, but given that business was booming, she wasn’t surprised that Fred and George had hired extra help.

After a loud pop from a far corner of the shop, the witch sped away angrily shouting, “If you TRY it, you BUY it!” 

Hermione refocused herself, “Dream Charms,” she mumbled and headed deeper into the shop. Aisle by aisle, Hermione searched. She had found the Daydream Charms that had fascinated her when she first visited the shop during the summer before her sixth year, but their evening counterparts were nowhere to be found. Crouched low to the ground to read the labels of the items on some lower shelves, Hermione could barely process the nudge of something against her leg before falling over and finding herself trapped under a heavy weight, a mop of fiery-red hair blocking her view. 

“Bloody hell, I’m so sorry, miss” an all too familiar voice echoed around her as the weight seemed to remove itself and get its barings before a hand reached down to help Hermione up. 

“I know we haven’t seen each other in a while, but that doesn’t give you the right to tackle me, Fred.” Hermione said matter-of-factly as she took his hand and rose to her feet. 

“‘Mione! I’m so sorry, my head was turned and I didn’t see you,” a light rosiness appeared in his cheeks as his hand instinctively went to rub the nape of his neck, a nervous tick Hermione had noticed during her first-year that helped her separate the twins, “You’d think this bloody thing would help me make sure my path’s clear, but I guess not!” he chuckled, motioning to the wooden cane that Arthur had crafted for him.

“It’s no problem, Fred. How are you doing?” a small smile broke on Hermione’s face as she dusted herself off.

“Not too bad! At the rate we’re going, most of our products will be out of stock in a few hours and then we’re staying closed all next week to restock and get some rest. Back-to-school season never fails to surprise me. How about you, how’s work going?” Fred’s hand moved to her arm as he shifted closer to her, making room for a determined group of children that sprinted past them. 

Hermione could feel heat rising to her cheeks, the two had never been this close to each, their bodies nearly pressed up against the other.

“I’m fine, work’s fine,” Hermione managed to sputter out, “We’re planning to host a community discussion on our proposed list of House Elf rights next month, so I’ve been busy preparing for that, but it’s fine.”

“Sounds fine then,” Fred chuckled, his chocolate brown eyes completely focused on her, “So what brings you in today? Anything I can help you find?” 

“Actually yes, I noticed the sign outside for your new Dream Charms, I feel like I’ve looked everywhere, but I can’t seem to locate them”

“Ah, you’re in luck! They were flying off the shelves, but Georgie remembered that we wanted to give some to mum and dad this week so we put the rest in the back. Come with me, we should have enough to give you a few.” Fred grabbed her hand and led her behind the checkout counter and past a deep purple curtain that acted as a door between the main shop and their storage space. Once in the stockroom, Fred let go of Hermione’s hand and walked up and down several aisles looking for the right product. 

Fred was limping. She knew that Fred limped, but every time she saw it, something inside of her tugged at her heartstrings. She had been present a few times when his Healers rounded on him, so she knew about his fractures and the pain that he dealt with on a daily basis. 

“Found them!” Fred called from deep down in one of the aisles, she followed his voice and found him grinning as he scooped three of the charm boxes up with one of his arms and walked over to her. “Three of our finest Patented Dream Charms, though I’m surprised that you want these if I’m being honest, you don’t seem like the type to waste your time dreaming.” 

The pair walked over to a table in the center of the stock room where Fred carefully placed the boxes into a small purple, paper bag with an orange “W” emblazoned on the front. 

“Honestly Fred, you know I’ve always loved your charmed products,” Hermione huffed, “but I’ve been having some trouble sleeping lately so I thought I’d give them a try.” Her attempt to sound casual failed. She couldn’t get anything past Fred. 

After a moment, she met his eyes and her heart broke at the concern that had spread across his face. 

“Are you sure you’re alright, ‘Mione? I thought all you needed to fall asleep was a good book,” he tried to lighten the mood as he took a seat at the table, but his worry was still obvious.

Hermione sighed before sitting down, “I really am fine Fred, there’s no need for you to worry. I think I’ve just been a little overwhelmed with living on my own and all of the demands from work, it’s all a bit much.”

“Hermione, you’ve been living at your flat for over 6 months now. How long has this been going on?” he turned to face her and pulled one of her hands into his own when he noticed how much she was fidgeting. 

Hermione hated lying, partially because she was an awful liar and partially because it was just wrong to do, but she had to try, burdening her loved ones bothered her much more than a white lie here or there.

“It’s recent Fred, really, it’s fine, I’m alright” 

“I don’t believe you, ‘Mione. What’s going on, are you just struggling to fall asleep or are you having..” he trailed off. Fred knew that Hermione didn’t have nightmares while she was at Hogwarts, but the castle was warded and she shared a room with Ginny, so she had a reason to feel safe there. Now she was living all alone in a muggle flat that couldn’t be properly warded without interfering with the electrical signals throughout the building. 

She couldn’t lie to him. She could try, but it was a moot point considering that he already knew. She didn’t understand how Fred could realize something was off within 10 minutes of seeing her, while Ron and Harry had yet to bat an eye during the countless times the three of them got together.

“I’m having nightmares,” she whispered, hot tears crept into her eyes and she stared up at the ceiling to prevent them from spilling over. All it took was Fred pulling her into his arms to set her off. All the pent up emotions that she had pushed down over the last six months came pouring out of her. Hermione didn’t know how long they sat together like that, her weeping and him just holding her, but her sobs eventually stifled into little hiccups as the rivers of tears on her cheeks dwindled into streams. 

Fred looked at Hermione and almost couldn’t recognize her. Her tears had all but erased her concealer and he could see the bags under her eyes that she had hidden so well for so long. She was exhausted and he could tell. God, how long had it been since she last got a full night’s sleep, he wondered to himself, his heart straining, begging him to hold her closer. 

“Do you have anywhere else to be today?” He asked her as her sniffles filled the room, she shook her head.

“Come up to the flat then, I can walk you through the charm and let you get some rest.”

“Oh Fred, I couldn’t ask you to do that. The shop’s so busy right now. I’ll just try it at home.”

“I have to take my break now anyway, get the weight off my legs and what not, it’s really no problem, Granger.”

He stood up from the table and pulled her up with him before grabbing the bag of charms and hobbling over to the fireplace in the corner of the room, flooing them both up to the flat. 

She’d been to the twins’ flat before for parties or game nights, but hadn’t ventured out beyond the main sitting area and the little kitchen, so she was surprised to take in Fred’s bedroom as he ushered her in and sat her down on his bed. It was surprisingly neat. No piles of clothes on his desk chair or used dishes littering every surface like at Harry and Ron’s. 

“You can’t be comfortable in that,” Fred murmured, assessing the figure hugging jeans and cable knit sweater she wore, “I’ll grab you some pajamas.” After rifling through his dresser drawer, he found an old Weird Sisters shirt he’d gotten during his first concert and plaid pajama bottoms. He handed them to Hermione and pointed her to the bathroom, “You go on and get changed while I set everything up.”

Too tired to argue, she groggily walked over to the bathroom, opting out of wearing the pajama bottoms that were nearly a foot too long for her. The shirt fit her like a dress and covered anything that needed covering, so after folding up her unused clothes, she returned to the bedroom and found Fred fluffing a pillow, a candle flickering on his nightstand. 

He couldn’t help but stare when she came back into the room. She looked damn good in his shirt and he couldn’t help but think about how she would look wearing one of his quidditch jerseys. Realizing that she’d probably think he was a creep if he kept at it, he shook the thought from his head and stood up, making room for Hermione to get into his bed, under the sheets that he’d so carefully folded back for her. 

After placing her folded clothes on his dresser she nearly collapsed one the welcoming mattress. She knew she was tired, but her bout of crying had drained any remaining energy that her body had stored and she knew that she was officially running on empty. 

“So these charms work similar to the Daydream charms,” Fred said as he pulled the covers over her and kneeled down on the ground next to the bed so that he could talk to her at eye level.

“I’ll say the spell that comes with the box and set a timer for however long you want to sleep, usually they run for about eight hours, but I can shorten or extend that based on what you want. Each dream draws on your happiest memories, so you don’t have to worry about being stuck in a nightmare, but on the off chance that you want to get up earlier than the limit, all you have to think is motus and you’ll be pulled out of it. Does that sound alright ‘Mione?” The tired witch nodded.

“Ron and Ginny are coming over tonight, so why don’t I set the timer for 6 hours. We’d love to have you stay for dinner and that should tide you over until they arrive.” With another nod, barely able to process the words coming out the handsome ginger’s mouth, Hermione felt Fred give her hand a squeeze before she drifted away into a haze of memories, her friends at Hogwarts, summers at the Burrow, trips to France with her parents, Fred’s hospital room.

Fred watched as the younger girl melted away into a sleep deeper than anything she had experienced over the last 6 months. The butterflies in his stomach were going haywire and his heart ached for her. The lovely witch who had kept him company on all of those dreary afternoons at St. Mungo’s was suffering, and he would do everything in his power to help her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second fic wooooo! I wrote and edited this all in the last 2 hours, so I'm sorry if it's actually the worst, but I want to post it now to get feedback before I get too invested in it. This little story is an idea I've had in my mind for a little bit, but since I haven't written to much fanfiction before, I'm not sure if I should start a multi-chapter fic or keep working on oneshots. 
> 
> In my mind right now, the fic will be kinda angsty in the initial phases, but morph into something more wholesome. It's rated M for future chapters if I even get that far. 
> 
> The title is based off a song I used to listen to way back called "I Never Can Relax" by a group called Hellogoodbye.
> 
> I know I totally left this chapter without much closure, but I wanted to get feedback on whether people would be interested in reading a story like this and if I should keep going or not! Comment your thoughts below and let me know! Any and all feedback is appreciated (: Thank you for reading!


	2. A Proposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George has an idea and after a little convincing, Fred gets on board. Will the boys be able to get Hermione to agree?

Hermione awoke 6 hours later to the muffled sound of laughter coming from the other side of the door. Using all her willpower, she dragged herself out of Fred’s bed and pulled on her jeans before heading out to greet her friends. 

Fred saw her first, his heart swelling when he noticed she was still wearing his shirt and that she seemed to be in a much better state than before.

“Hermione! Did you sleep well?” his voice sounded too chipper, but he didn’t care. He had filled George, Ron, and Ginny in on the Hermione-situation before she woke up, so they all knew to be gentle with her. 

Hermione nodded as she walked over and took the chair next to Ron who gave her a quick hug before letting her sit down. 

The next few hours were some of the best that Hermione had in a long time. She’d been seeing her friends frequently outside of work, but her lack of sleep and constant state of exhaustion always stopped her from being fully present. The small group ate a hearty dinner prepared by the twins before getting comfortable in their living room, Ginny and Hermione wrapping themselves up in blankets and sitting on the couch while Fred and Ron played Wizard’s Chess at the coffee table and George made hot chocolate for everyone. Ginny caught Hermione up on the Holyhead Harpies and their odds for the season and asked Hermione about the Ministry without getting too close to the elephant in the room. They all knew something was wrong, but none of them had broached the subject yet, not wanting to put Hermione in an uncomfortable position.

“That’s another win for me, Fred,” Ron said with a smug grin on his face. If there was one thing Ron excelled at besides being a loyal friend and occasionally serving as comedic relief, it was his chess skills, even Hermione had given up trying to beat him long ago. 

Ron stretched letting out a seemingly unending yawn, “Lord, I can’t wait to turn in tonight, it’s been a helluva week at the Auror Office,” he barely finished his statement before Ginny dug her foot into his side to accompany one of her trademark glares, “Ah, Hermione, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to be rude.” he mumbled, realizing his mistake.

“It’s no problem, Ron. At least some of us are able to sleep well.” a humorless laugh left the witch before she returned to attending her steaming drink.

“Blimey, Hermione can you please just tell us what’s going on so we can help you?” an exasperated Ron cried before turning to his best friend and touching her knee, “We’re all really worried about you. None of us knew this was going on and you’re stubborn about asking for help so if you don’t tell us, there’s really not much we can do”

Their eyes met. Ron and Hermione had been through so much together and thought at one point while they were on the run that there might be more, but they were wrong and they both knew it after their first kiss. Ron was the brother Hermione never had, he was loud and annoying, but at the end of the day, he would do anything to help her, if only she let him. The room stayed quiet for a few moments before Hermione mustered up the courage to say anything.

“I’m sure Fred has filled you in on most of it already,” her eyes moved to the table in front of her where Fred was fidgeting with the chess pieces, “I’ve been having nightmares for quite some time now. Ever since I moved into my new place, in fact. I’ve tried everything, even some Muggle sleeping pills, but nothing seems to work. I used to be able to fall asleep for a few hours before waking up from my nightmares, but now I can’t even fall asleep because I know what’s coming.” Hermione refused to look up, she remembered Fred’s concerned expression from earlier and couldn’t bear to see the looks of pity from her other friends and she burdened them with her story.

“I came in today when I saw the sign for Dream Charms, but I guess I reached a breaking point. I broke down in front of Fred, but he set me up with one of the charms and I slept so well, better than I have in months.”

“‘Mione, I don’t understand, you never had any nightmares while we were at Hogwarts,” Ginny had shared a room with Hermione during their final year and knew that Hermione slept through each night. Ginny had frequent nightmares that Hermione helped her through every few nights, but Hermione had never experienced anything similar

“I know. I’ve thought about that quite a bit and I think it had something to do with the wards at the castle and the fact that you were living there. I think my body felt safer with the wards there as a safety measure and having you around only added to that. I can’t ward my flat because of Muggle technology and obviously I live alone, so I think my body’s finally reacting to everything.”

Ginny simply nodded, hurt that one of her closest friends had been suffering for so long.

“Well, I’m happy to hear that the Dream Charm worked well for you ‘Mione, but we all know that it’s not a sustainable option. Same goes for Sleeping Draught or any Muggle sleeping pills,” George interrupted, the gears in his head turning as he tried to think of another solution to help his friend, “Have you thought about moving back to a wardable flat?”

“I have, but the main reason I got a Muggle flat was so that my parents could visit me. They stay in London during the summer months and I would hate for them to have to schedule a visit with me when they want to see me.”

George nodded, “Well, maybe Ginny could live with you?” he turned and looked expectantly at his sister.

Ginny whimpered, “Hermione, love, of course I’d like to live with you, but with practices and games for the Harpies, I’m renting a place in Wales and when I’m not there I spend most nights with Harry. I’m so sorry.” the younger witch chewed her lip, guilt coursing through her veins.

“Don’t apologize, Gin. I didn’t want to tell anybody about it because this isn’t anyone else’s problem to solve. We’ve all moved on with our lives and I would hate to burden any of you with fixing my own problems.” 

“You’re not a burden to us ‘Mione. You’ve helped us all out at one point or another.” Ron mumbled and Hermione’s gaze wandered over to Fred who stared back at her, sadness and something else she couldn’t quite pinpoint lingering in his eyes.

Fred was fuming. Disappointed in himself for not staying in touch with Hermione after he was discharged, mad at Ron for being a git and bringing it up before Hermione was ready, and furious that the Holyhead Harpies were based in Wales. What was so great about Wales anyway!? 

“How about this, George and I will give you enough Dream Charms to use for emergencies until we can come up with a more long-term option?” Fred knew that she couldn’t live her life getting sleep through charms, but it wouldn’t hurt in the short term.

Hermione nodded, “Thank you, that would really be lovely. I’m sorry for bringing down the mood, I didn’t want to bother you all with this, but I feel like I’ve tried everything and nothing seems to work.”

They all understood where she was coming from. Everyone suffered after the war and it didn’t seem fair for anyone to ask for more help from the people around them who had already given up so much, but that’s what friends and family are for. There was no way Fred would’ve made as quick of a recovery without Hermione and his family and Ginny would’ve been in the same boat as Hermione now if Hermione wasn’t there to calm her down from her nightmares at Hogwarts. Everyone needed the help of others to recover and Hermione was no different.

The night wound down quickly after that. Ginny and Ron flooed back to the apartment that Ron and Harry shared and Hermione flooed back to her apartment after collecting her clothes and a few more Dream Charms that George grabbed from the stockroom. 

Fred hadn’t said much after that and his twin could tell something was wrong. George knew that Fred and Hermione had gotten close during Fred’s time in the hospital, but he didn’t know anything about Fred’s feelings, not that Fred knew about them either.

“What’s got you down, mate” George dropped down onto the couch next to a slumped Fred.

“I don’t understand how she’s been putting up with this for so long and none of us knew. We’ve seen her every week for Mum’s dinners, Ron and Harry get lunch with her a few times a week, hell, even Charlie floo calls her once or twice a week from Romania. One of us should’ve known!” Fred covered his face with his hands as his elbows moved to rest on his knees. George reached over and rubbed his twin’s back for comfort.

“It’s been a busy few months, Freddie. And Hermione said it herself, she tried her hardest not to let any of us find out, she’s a stubborn witch, that one. There’s no point dwelling in the past, we’ve got to come up with a solution and I think I might have an idea.” A cheeky grin slowly appeared on George’s face as his twin straightened up and turned to face him.

“Oh yeah? What are you thinking?”

“Well Freddie, much as I love your company, I love a certain lady’s company a little bit more.”

George had been dating Angelina since the boys left Hogwarts during their seventh year. What started with a Howler from Angelina telling off the twins for abandoning their friends and completely disregarding all the opportunities that Hogwarts degree could provide to them turned into a slew of letters between George and Angelina, which grew further into long floo calls, date nights, and a thriving relationship. 

“I didn’t want to bring it up with you yet, Fred, but Angie and I have been talking about moving in together. She has a flat here in London and Tutshill so that she can have a place to stay on nights when the Tornadoes practice, but the London flat’s getting less use and she usually comes over here anyway, so she was thinking about ending her lease altogether.” 

Fred sighed, he knew this day would come, but didn’t expect it to be so soon, “Ok you prat, so how does that help the Hermione situation?” Fred sputtered, annoyed with his twin for insinuating his eviction from their shared flat, but proud nonetheless that George had managed to win over the affections of his dream girl.

“Well, you could stay with us, but it might do us all a great deal more help if you moved out. Say, to Muggle London? Into the flat of a certain Ms. Granger?” George’s eye twinkled, the pure genius behind his plan boosting his ego, “I know how close you and ‘Mione were while you were in St. Mungo’s, but you haven’t really spent too much time together since then. Hermione needs a roommate and you two get along well, so you might as well move in with her!” 

Fred’s heart leapt, the thought of living with Hermione hadn’t even crossed his mind.  
“I don’t know Georgie, I feel like she’d be more comfortable living with a girl. Maybe we can see what Luna’s up to?”

“That won’t work. Luna’s living with her father in Devon and don’t even suggest Abbott. Neville stopped by the shop the other day and mentioned that he’s almost convinced her to move to Hogwarts since he’s got a job assisting Professor Sprout.” 

Fred sighed, his mind whirring as he tried to think of any other option that made sense, but none came. He couldn’t understand why he was so nervous about this proposition, Hermione was his friend after all, but the pull in his chest told him otherwise. No matter how much he tried to suppress it, Fred had to admit that his feelings toward her weren’t platonic anymore. Sure his siblings were worried about her too, but even Ron didn’t get visibly agitated as she told them about the last few months of her life and he was her best friend. 

“It can be temporary, Freddie, just until we find a better way to get rid of her nightmares. I know it’s a weird position to be in, but just imagine how much you’d be helping her out.”

Fred nodded slowly as the realization of what he was about to do finally sunk in, “I’ll send her an owl and ask her to stop by the shop for lunch tomorrow. The least I can do is ask her, knowing Hermione there’s a slim chance she’ll even consider it an option at all.” Fred shrugged.

“Attaboy, Freddie” George thumped his brother’s shoulder before getting up and stretching, “Alright, I’m going to turn in, don’t worry too much.”

George headed to his room and Fred ran up to the shop owlery to send a quick note to Hermione. He’d assumed that she’d probably be awake given the circumstances and he was correct. He received a confirmation from her over floo not 10 minutes later and his heart swelled at the sound of her voice. 

So much had happened by the time Fred got into bed that night that he had forgotten about Hermione’s nap until he slipped into the sheets himself. The smell of her hit him immediately, jasmine, cinnamon, and a hint of vanilla overwhelmed his senses and filled his dreams as he drifted off to sleep.

—

Fred woke up with a start early the next morning. Though he didn’t anticipate it, falling asleep with thoughts of Hermione swirling in his brain simply manifested further into his dreams. Images of the two of them in his hospital room, Hermione seated comfortably at the foot of his bed, her legs stretched out next to his as she read to him. Suddenly they were at the Burrow, walking around Molly’s vegetable patch, Fred holding a basket while Hermione uprooted carrots and potatoes, chatting away to him. His dream ended in her apartment, both of them sitting on her couch, her legs draped over his lap as he held her close, her head resting on his shoulder. Just as she looked up at him, their lips mere inches apart, Fred woke up. Fucking hell, did he really like Hermione Granger? The memory of his dreams slowly faded as Fred got dressed for the day and headed down to the shop to brew potions for their sold-out products with George, but the thought of her lips so close to his own kept infiltrating his thoughts. He couldn’t, especially now, given the situation, he couldn’t have feelings for her. She needed a friend, not a rowdy Weasley man trying to sweep her off her feet. 

Lunch came sooner than expected, the twins had already finished making the potions they needed to prepare, so their afternoon would just be filled with sweet making and product packaging. If everything went according to plan, they’d be done by 5, which would give them enough time to get washed up and head to the Cauldron to meet Bill, Charlie, and Percy for dinner. 

Hermione arrived through the stockroom floo promptly at noon. Dressed in a long camel coat, creamy knit turtleneck, and dark wash jeans, she looked good, but Fred couldn’t help but think about how much better she had looked in his faded grey t-shirt the night before. 

“‘Mione! Glad you’re here!” George was the first to react to her arrival and quickly wrapped her in a hug, “How was the rest of your night?”

“It was alright, I was still pretty awake from my nap, so I got some work done and then took a Muggle pill before going to sleep. It’s fascinating really, they’ve isolated the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle and synthesized it in a pill form so that it effectively causes drowsiness when consumed. It’s safe, but I’d prefer not to have to take it at all.”

Fred grinned, “I don’t know what half the words you just said mean, but I support them if it works,” he reached out and pulled her into a brief hug but quickly let go, his ears heating up as he felt himself getting a little too excited by her arrival. Intellect and a strong woman were both huge turn-ons for Fred and Hermione was the epitome of both. 

_“Friends, Fred. F R I E N D S.”_ he chastised himself internally as the three of them made their way up to the flat for lunch. They could’ve served leftovers from the night before, but after the morning’s grueling potion-making session, they decided to get takeaway and ordered a few pizzas. The boys could demolish one each in a sitting, but they had to save some room for dinner so they split two between the three of them. 

After some small talk, the three of them settled into the highchairs of the twins’ kitchen table and tucked in. Pizza gone, but post-meal grogginess not yet sinking in, Fred decided it was time to act.

“Listen, Hermione, George and I were talking after you left and we might’ve come up with something that could help with your nightmares.”

“It’s not a potion or charm, though we do plan on doing more research on nightmare-preventative properties of different ingredients, but it’s a faster solution for sure.” George interjected, giving Fred a reassuring look of support.

“And obviously we’ll only go through with it if you’re completely comfortable,” Fred added before giving Hermione a second to process.

“The way you two are talking about it, I have a feeling I’m not going to approve of this solution,” Hermione grumbled giving the twins a small side-eye before nodding for them to continue. She chewed on her lower lip like her life depended on it, trying to keep her grounded as her nerves built up. All Fred wanted to do was reach over to her and brush his thumb over her lips to keep her from damaging those damn lips that starred in his thoughts all morning, but he couldn’t so he continued on.

“Well you see, Georgie here’s got a girlfriend and since things are getting pretty serious and he hates having to floo to her flat to get some action, he’s asked her to move into our flat with him.” 

“Oy, we’re thinking about moving in together to save Angie some money, not just because I can’t keep it in my pants for a floo” George spat back at Fred.

“Yes, my dear brother, but you can’t deny that they’re both contributing factors.”

A small smile appeared on Hermione’s face as she watched the brothers tease each other, “Oh George, I’m so happy for you,” she interrupted in an attempt to stop them from getting too heated, “but I don’t really see how this involves me.” 

“Ah yes, Hermy-own dearest, that’s where my brother Fred comes into play,” George had taken to teasing Hermione with Viktor Krum’s pronunciation of her name ever since he overhead one of their conversations at the Yule Ball and it drove Hermione absolutely mad. 

“You see, love, George and Angie didn’t ask for a third wheel, so they’re planning on evicting me when Ang moves in,” Fred pulled on all of his Gryffindor courage before continuing, “We were thinking that since you have a spare room, maybe I could move in with you? I know you said that you didn’t have nightmares when you and Ginny shared a room, so it might work if we share a flat. Maybe you’ll feel more comfortable knowing that you’re not alone.” Fred’s couldn’t control his hopeful tone, but he really wanted this to work. He wanted Hermione to say yes.

“Frederick Weasley, that’s the most daft thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life,” Hermione said sternly after giving herself a moment to think, “There’s no way in hell that I would force you to move to Muggle London just to help me with my nightmares! The shop’s doing so well, you could easily afford your own bachelor pad or you could go stay at the Burrow, God knows how much your mother worries about you,” she continued, still processing every reason why Fred shouldn’t move in with her.  
“Granger, how dare you suggest that I move back in with my parents. That ship sailed long ago and I never hope to return to that point,” Fred cried a look of dismay on his face as he grasped his chest. 

Hermione couldn’t help but laugh, she knew Fred moving back to the Burrow was a stretch, but it was still an option nonetheless. 

“Okay, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to get your own flat,” Hermione responded, looking Fred dead in the eye.

“Honestly ‘Mione, I don’t think I’m ready to live alone just yet,” Fred took a more serious tone as he spoke to her, “Realistically, I’ve been out of Mungo’s for under a year and I’m still recovering. I always shower when Georgie’s home just in case I slip and some days the pain is really just unbearable. I don’t want to burden you with my own health problems, but I know I’d also feel much more secure if I knew I wouldn’t have to wait too long for someone to check up on me if something went wrong.” He stared at his empty plate as his knee bounced violently, one hand nervously rubbing the nape of his neck.

Fred hadn’t told George about his concerns before, so the twin was equally as dumbfounded as Hermione by Fred’s surprisingly honest confession.

“Blimey Fred, I didn’t know you were worried about those things. I never would’ve threatened to kick you out if I knew how you felt.” 

“It sounds worse than it is, honestly. I’m just cautious and I would love to continue having a roommate, but if you’re not okay with our idea then that’s fine to ‘Mione, I’ve got to be independent eventually.”

Hermione gazed at Fred, searching for some hint of insincerity in his eyes before shaking her head.

“Don’t be stupid, Fred. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to at least give it a try?” She seemed to ask herself more than anyone else, as if she was trying to convince herself that this would work, “So when would you move in?”

George flashed a dazzling grin before going into the details. Apparently Angie and George were further on in the moving process than George had initially let on. Angie was essentially packed already and she could move in at the drop of the hat.

Fred and Hermione shared a look of exasperation.

_“Of course George had found a way to make this process as quick as possible, the evil mastermind”_ Fred thought before turning to Hermione. 

“I don’t have a ton of stuff and with a few shrinking spells, packing and moving should be a breeze, so it’s really up to you, ‘Mione. I know this is a lot all at once, so don’t feel like I need to move in right away.” 

Hermione let out a deep breath before speaking, “Things will be getting busy for me with work later this month, so I’d honestly prefer it if you moved in sooner. This week’s light for me and I have Monday off anyway for a healer appointment. I can owl you a key when I get back and you can move in whenever you have time.” 

“Sounds good to me, ‘Mione. We’ve already taken next week off to restock the store, so I can just use that time to move in.” Fred responded before turning to George and discussing Angelina’s schedule, ensuring that he’d be moved out and unpacked in time to help her move in.

The three chatted for a bit longer before Hermione took her leave. When she got home, her head was spinning. After getting Fred’s owl the night before, she assumed that they’d give her a monthly supply of Sleeping Draught or some other potion, not that she’d leave with Fred Weasley as her new roommate. Hermione went through phases with how she felt about Fred. There was a part of her that knew she felt more for him, but since she saw him significantly less frequently than she did during his St. Mungo’s days, her feelings had almost completely faded. This new roommate situation was sure to throw a wrench into Hermione’s attempt to get over her crush on Fred, but she didn’t care. Fred was going to be a constant in her life again and for the first time in months, joy and excitement radiated through her body. Without missing a beat, Hermione quickly located the spare key to her flat and wrote a quick note before sending it off to Fred with Ollie, the owl he had sent her last night.

_Dear Fred,_

_I’ve attached the key to my flat with this note, so please don’t lose it or throw it away or accidentally dissolve it in a potion._

_I didn’t get a chance to properly thank you for agreeing to do this before, so thank you, Fred. Really, truly thank you. I feel better already knowing that you’ll be here so soon._

_Let me know if you need any help with your things! X_

_Your new roommate,_ _‘Mione_

—  
Fred received Hermione’s note a mere twenty minutes later. After quickly feeding a few treats to Ollie and returning him to the owlery, Fred scrambled to read the note. _I feel better already knowing that you’ll be here so soon. _The sentence alone had his heart racing. After quickly folding the note and slipping it into his pocket, Fred studied the key carefully. It was a plain looking thing attached to a keychain with a small book charm dangling at the end of it. Even though he knew that he could floo or aparate to her place whenever he wanted, the meaning behind this key spoke volumes. Fred Weasley was now the proud owner of the key to Hermione Granger’s flat, no, his and Hermione Granger’s flat.__

____

____

Fred was giddy by the time he returned to the stockroom to help George with their products and while his twin prodded to figure out what triggered his twin’s sudden moodswing, Fred kept it to himself. The small note and key in his pocket were his and his alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the people who read the first chapter I posted yesterday and a special thanks to those who commented! I couldn't get the idea out of my head, so I just decided to run with it! 
> 
> I'm not sure how long this fic will be, but if you've enjoyed the first two chapters, stick around and find out with me!
> 
> Please comment any suggestions or critiques that you may have. I'm looking to improve my writing, so everything helps!


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